4.1 Model 1 case study
Model 1 is the primary model we will be examining in this study (Fig. 4). On both the phase and strain rate evolution image series we show six isotherms (1300ºC, 1100ºC, 800ºC, 450ºC, 300ºC and 150ºC). 1300ºC corresponds to the depth of the thermal lithosphere, 1100ºC the minimum temperature for the presence of melt in the lithosphere, 800ºC the minimum depth for the initiation of DRX, 450ºC the initial depth to Moho, 300ºC the average depth for the formation of ductile shear zones in the middle crust, and 150ºC the maximum temperature for the generation of hydrocarbons. The model shows most of the diagnostic features of magma-poor margins and the ocean-continent transition in detail. It therefore serves as a useful comparison to the Ivory Coast margin and to the Alpine Tethys and Uralide margins. The initial conditions of Model 1 (0 Myr) are a 1300ºC MPT, 55 mW.m-2 SHF, and 2 cm.yr-1 full extension rate. An imposed thinning of the lithosphere (compositional and thermal lithosphere) as a normal distribution with an amplitude of 10 km and a half width of 50 km localizes deformation in the center of the model. These initial conditions define a thermal anomaly located at the base of the lithosphere.